Blackout

Summary: While at a conference in Chicago, House and Cameron encounter something neither of them expected. The darkness.

Disclaimer: Don't own House. Wish I did, though :D

Professor John Maxwell spoke in an incredibly deadpan tone. Cameron shifted in her seat, attempting to not allow her mind to drift from the lecture. Beside her, House was staring at the floor, his cane swaying back and forth between his fingers. Of course he wasn't paying attention.

They were both at the National Diagnostics Conference in Chicago, purely on Cuddy's orders. Cameron rolled her eyes, noting that Cuddy only instructed Cameron to go so that she could prevent House from doing anything ... inappropriate. That, and she was fairly sure Cuddy wanted her there so that at least one of them would gain some information.

Cameron looked sideways at House and smirked. No information was being processed at this lecture.

House looked at Cameron smirking and raised his eyebrows. 'Thinking about something dirty, Cameron?' He looked at Maxwell, still talking to a non-responsive audience, and cocked his head. 'I can see why you would go for him. He's older, certainly, but we know you like that. Mind you, his voice may cause you to fall asleep, but at least then you won't have 'pretend' you are too tired to have sex.' He finished, looking back at Cameron.

She repressed a laugh and merely shook her head. 'I never knew you swung that way, House.'

'There's a lot of things you don't know,' House replied, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Cameron rolled her eyes and focused them back on Professor Maxwell. One look at him and images she didn't want invading her mind did. Beside her, Cameron heard House smirk. She must have cringed.

Before she could shoot House a glare, the lights above them flickered and made a mechanical sound, before going out, leaving them in complete darkness.

'What -' Cameron heard Maxwell say, but she couldn't see anything. She couldn't even see her hand in front of her.

'Blackout,' Cameron heard House say from her left. She could hear people fumbling all around the hall.

'Care to state the obvious?' Cameron asked sarcastically, fumbling through her bag for her phone - any source of light.

Before she could reach it, she felt a hand on her arm. She didn't need to wonder who it was. Her breath caught in her throat as she froze.

'I like blackouts,' House mumbled in her ear.

'I wonder why,' Cameron replied, but her voice came out more breathless than she anticipated. 'Great chance to feel someone up.'

Cameron froze again when his hand found her thigh. She couldn't breathe, nor move, so she just sat there. Waiting.

'Do you want me to?' House whispered in her ear, his hand tracing the hem of her skirt.

House's warm breath burned on her neck, and she moved her head slightly to allow him more access. She didn't answer. She didn't need to.

House brushed his lips against her neck, moving his hand up and down her thigh. It took every ounce of Cameron's willpower not to moan as his hand moved up her thigh to her waist. He traced the waistband of her skirt and hooked his finger around the back, pulling her an inch closer to him as he continued to kiss her neck.

'We're going to get caught,' Cameron said breathlessly, as her head fell on his shoulder.

'No we won't,' House replied, unzipping the back of her skirt.

Cameron was nearly ready to give into House right then and there in the lecture hall when the lights gave a small grumble and Cameron jumped, moving away from House. The lights flickered, before coming back on again.

Cameron zipped up her skirt, a blush making its way up to her cheeks from her neck and she smoothed her skirt out, looking around the hall. Everyone had settled down somewhat and luckily, nobody had been standing near House and Cameron up the back.

Cameron kept her gaze directly at the front of the room, even though she could feel House's gaze on her. Maxwell announced that the rest of todays session had been post-poned til tomorrow, and Cameron grabbed her bag and coat, walking down the stairs and out of the hall without a second look at House.

xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx

Cameron sat on her bed in her hotel room after getting changed out of her clothes and into sweatpants and a T-shirt. It was maybe 7, Cameron didn't know, and she fell back on the pillows, putting her hands over her eyes.

She had successfully avoided House for the remainder of the day, choosing to go straight to the nearest shopping mall instead. She had spent the 4 hours walking from store to store, attempting to not think about what had happened at the lecture earlier that day. But now she couldn't stop thinking about it.

It was somewhat of an admission, Cameron thought, running her hands through her hair. Yet how it happened ... Cameron groaned at her momentary lapse of judgement and sat up.

It wasn't bad. Cameron could admit that much. Just the thought of it made her stomach curl into knots. Cameron smiled, biting her lip. Definitely wasn't bad.

A sharp rap at her door knocked Cameron out of thought. She stood up and walked over to the door. She knew who it was. She also know that if she opened that door, it would change everything.

She opens it.

House leant against the doorframe, his eyes on Cameron as she stood in front of him. Neither of them spoke. Cameron folded her arms, feeling a sense of insecurity as House stood over her at the door.

'You disappeared,' House broke the silence.

'I needed some air,' Cameron replied, leaning on the door handle. (I needed a break from this)

'Had enough?' House asked, standing up straight and leaning on his cane.

Cameron didn't reply but stared at him. House looked up at the ceiling, sighing. 'You want to talk.'

'After what happened, it might be helpful,' Cameron replied, unfolding her arms.

'Ok. We'll talk. Shoot,' House said, looking back at her.

Cameron looked down the corridor. It was empty. She didn't have to invite him in. Yet.

'What happened. Did you want it?' Cameron asked hesitantly.

'I wouldn't have started it if I didn't,' House replied.

'Yes you would have,' Cameron replied, staring at him.

House smirked. 'Yeah. I probably would have. Doesn't mean I did this time though.'

'So you're not just screwing with me?'

'Well ...' House replied, a smirk forming on his face.

Cameron cut him off. 'You know what I mean.'

'I'm not screwing with you in the non-literal sense,' He replied, tapping his cane on the floor.

'So what is it that you want?' Cameron asked, looking up at him.

House took one step forward and put a hand on her waist. 'I want you. All of you,' He muttered, staring her in the eyes.

Before Cameron could reply, House pressed his lips on hers and backed her into her room. Closing the door behind them, House pushed Cameron up against the door and tugged at the hem of her shirt. He continued to hold her against the door as he pushed his tongue into her mouth and it collided with hers. Cameron moaned softly as House broke away amd moved down to her neck. Where it all started. His hand found it's way to the waistband of her sweatpants and he pulled her closer to him.

They fumbled, discarding clothing on the way to her bed and they collapsed on it. Passion. Want. Need. Her moan echoed through the room. As did his. It ended like that.

xxx xxx xxx xxx

Later that night he watches her. He notices her eyelids twitch in her sleep. Her chest rises and falls against the sheets as she breathes. Peaceful. He presses his lips against her forehead and rests back on the pillows, Allison Cameron sleeping right next to him.

It's funny what can come out of darkness.

FIN.